Job 1
Expanded Bible
Job, the Good Man
1 A man named Job lived in the land of Uz [C east of Israel in Edom (present-day Jordan); Lam. 4:21]. He was an ·honest [innocent; blameless; Prov. 2:7, 21] and ·innocent [virtuous; Prov. 1:3] man; he ·honored [feared; respected] God [28:28; Prov. 1:7] and stayed away from evil [C these terms are used to describe the wise in Proverbs]. 2 Job had seven sons and three daughters [C indicating a large and complete family]. 3 He owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred teams of oxen, and five hundred female donkeys. He also had a large number of servants. He was the ·greatest [or richest] man among all the people of the East [C the expected reward of wisdom].
4 Job’s sons took turns holding feasts [L on their day; C perhaps birthday celebrations] in their homes and invited their sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 After a feast was over, Job would send and have them ·made clean [consecrated; made holy]. Early in the morning Job would offer a burnt offering [C an atonement offering; Lev. 1:1–17] for each of them, because he thought, “My children may have sinned and ·cursed [L blessed; C a euphemism for “cursed”] God in their hearts.” Job did this every time.
Satan Appears Before the Lord
6 One day the ·angels [L sons of God] came to ·show themselves [stand] before the Lord, and ·Satan [L the Satan; C means “the Accuser” or “the Adversary”; either the Devil or a member of God’s heavenly court] was with them. 7 The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”
Satan [1:6] answered the Lord, “I have been ·wandering around [roaming] the earth, ·going back and forth in [patrolling] it.”
8 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you noticed [considered; L set your heart on] my servant Job? No one else on earth is like him. He is an honest and innocent man, honoring God and staying away from evil [1:1].”
9 But Satan [1:6] answered the Lord, “·Job honors God for a good reason [L Does Job honor/fear/respect God for no good reason?]. 10 ·You have [L Don’t you…?] put a ·wall [hedge; C to protect from danger] around him, his family, and everything he owns. You have blessed ·the things he has done [L all the works of his hands]. His flocks and herds ·are so large they almost cover [L burst forth on] the land. 11 But ·reach out [stretch forth] your hand and ·destroy [afflict] everything he has, and [L see if] he will curse you to your face.”
12 The Lord said to Satan [1:6], “All right, then. Everything Job has is in your ·power [L hand], but ·you must not touch Job himself [L but don’t send your hand against him].” Then Satan [1:6] left the Lord’s presence.
13 One day Job’s sons and daughters were ·eating and drinking wine [feasting; celebrating] together at the ·oldest [L firstborn] brother’s house. 14 A messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were eating grass nearby, 15 when the Sabeans [C a people from southern Arabia] attacked and carried them away. They killed the servants with swords, and I am the only one who escaped to tell you!”
16 The messenger was still speaking when another messenger arrived and said, “·Lightning [L Fire] from God fell from ·the sky [heaven]. It burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who escaped to tell you!”
17 The second messenger was still speaking when another messenger arrived and said, “The ·Babylonians [L Chaldeans; C a people located in present-day southern Iraq] sent three ·groups of attackers [raiding parties] that swept down and stole your camels and killed the servants [L with the sword]. I am the only one who escaped to tell you!”
18 The third messenger was still speaking when another messenger arrived and said, “Your sons and daughters were ·eating and drinking wine [feasting; celebrating] together at the ·oldest [L firstborn] brother’s house. 19 Suddenly a ·great [strong; mighty] wind came from the desert, hitting all four corners of the house at once. The house fell in on the young people, and they are all dead. I am the only one who escaped to tell you!”
20 When Job heard this, he got up and tore his robe and shaved his head [C ancient mourning customs]. Then he bowed down to the ground to worship God. 21 He said:
“I was naked when I ·was born [L came from my mother’s womb],
and I will be naked when I ·die [L return there].
The Lord gave these things to me,
and he has taken them away.
·Praise [Blessed be] the name of the Lord.”
22 In all this Job did not sin or blame God.
Giobbe 1
Conferenza Episcopale Italiana
I. PROLOGO
Satana mette Giobbe alla prova
1 C'era nella terra di Uz un uomo chiamato Giobbe: uomo integro e retto, temeva Dio ed era alieno dal male. 2 Gli erano nati sette figli e tre figlie; 3 possedeva settemila pecore e tremila cammelli, cinquecento paia di buoi e cinquecento asine, e molto numerosa era la sua servitù. Quest'uomo era il più grande fra tutti i figli d'oriente.
4 Ora i suoi figli solevano andare a fare banchetti in casa di uno di loro, ciascuno nel suo giorno, e mandavano a invitare anche le loro tre sorelle per mangiare e bere insieme. 5 Quando avevano compiuto il turno dei giorni del banchetto, Giobbe li mandava a chiamare per purificarli; si alzava di buon mattino e offriva olocausti secondo il numero di tutti loro. Giobbe infatti pensava: «Forse i miei figli hanno peccato e hanno offeso Dio nel loro cuore». Così faceva Giobbe ogni volta.
6 Un giorno, i figli di Dio andarono a presentarsi davanti al Signore e anche satana andò in mezzo a loro. 7 Il Signore chiese a satana: «Da dove vieni?». Satana rispose al Signore: «Da un giro sulla terra, che ho percorsa». 8 Il Signore disse a satana: «Hai posto attenzione al mio servo Giobbe? Nessuno è come lui sulla terra: uomo integro e retto, teme Dio ed è alieno dal male». 9 Satana rispose al Signore e disse: «Forse che Giobbe teme Dio per nulla? 10 Non hai forse messo una siepe intorno a lui e alla sua casa e a tutto quanto è suo? Tu hai benedetto il lavoro delle sue mani e il suo bestiame abbonda di terra. 11 Ma stendi un poco la mano e tocca quanto ha e vedrai come ti benedirà in faccia!». 12 Il Signore disse a satana: «Ecco, quanto possiede è in tuo potere, ma non stender la mano su di lui». Satana si allontanò dal Signore.
13 Ora accadde che un giorno, mentre i suoi figli e le sue figlie stavano mangiando e bevendo in casa del fratello maggiore, 14 un messaggero venne da Giobbe e gli disse: «I buoi stavano arando e le asine pascolando vicino ad essi, 15 quando i Sabei sono piombati su di essi e li hanno predati e hanno passato a fil di spada i guardiani. Sono scampato io solo che ti racconto questo».
16 Mentr'egli ancora parlava, entrò un altro e disse: «Un fuoco divino è caduto dal cielo: si è attaccato alle pecore e ai guardiani e li ha divorati. Sono scampato io solo che ti racconto questo».
17 Mentr'egli ancora parlava, entrò un altro e disse: «I Caldei hanno formato tre bande: si sono gettati sopra i cammelli e li hanno presi e hanno passato a fil di spada i guardiani. Sono scampato io solo che ti racconto questo».
18 Mentr'egli ancora parlava, entrò un altro e disse: «I tuoi figli e le tue figlie stavano mangiando e bevendo in casa del loro fratello maggiore, 19 quand'ecco un vento impetuoso si è scatenato da oltre il deserto: ha investito i quattro lati della casa, che è rovinata sui giovani e sono morti. Sono scampato io solo che ti racconto questo».
20 Allora Giobbe si alzò e si stracciò le vesti, si rase il capo, cadde a terra, si prostrò 21 e disse:
«Nudo uscii dal seno di mia madre,
e nudo vi ritornerò.
Il Signore ha dato, il Signore ha tolto,
sia benedetto il nome del Signore!».
22 In tutto questo Giobbe non peccò e non attribuì a Dio nulla di ingiusto.
Job 1
New King James Version
Job and His Family in Uz
1 There was a man (A)in the land of Uz, whose name was (B)Job; and that man was (C)blameless and upright, and one who (D)feared God and [a]shunned evil. 2 And seven sons and three daughters were born to him. 3 Also, his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the [b]people of the East.
4 And his sons would go and feast in their houses, each on his appointed day, and would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and [c]sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning (E)and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned and (F)cursed[d] God in their hearts.” Thus Job did regularly.
Satan Attacks Job’s Character
6 Now (G)there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and [e]Satan also came among them. 7 And the Lord said to [f]Satan, “From where do you come?”
So Satan answered the Lord and said, “From (H)going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.”
8 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you [g]considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and [h]shuns evil?”
9 So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 (I)Have You not [i]made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? (J)You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 (K)But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely (L)curse[j] You to Your face!”
12 And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your [k]power; only do not lay a hand on his person.”
So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
Job Loses His Property and Children
13 Now there was a day (M)when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house; 14 and a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 when the [l]Sabeans [m]raided them and took them away—indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
16 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and [n]consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
17 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
18 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, (N)“Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 and suddenly a great wind came from [o]across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
20 Then Job arose, (O)tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he (P)fell to the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said:
(Q)“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked shall I return there.
The Lord (R)gave, and the Lord has (S)taken away;
(T)Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
22 (U)In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.
Footnotes
- Job 1:1 Lit. turned away from
- Job 1:3 Lit. sons
- Job 1:5 consecrate
- Job 1:5 Lit. blessed, but in an evil sense; cf. Job 1:11; 2:5, 9
- Job 1:6 Lit. the Adversary
- Job 1:7 Lit. the Adversary
- Job 1:8 Lit. set your heart on
- Job 1:8 Lit. turns away from
- Job 1:10 Protected him
- Job 1:11 Lit. bless, but in an evil sense; cf. Job 1:5
- Job 1:12 Lit. hand
- Job 1:15 Lit. Sheba; cf. Job 6:19
- Job 1:15 Lit. fell upon
- Job 1:16 destroyed
- Job 1:19 LXX omits across
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
